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placed in old cabinets with no identification
or organization. e oil from the supplier was
not filtered when it was received at the mill nor
before being transferred to the equipment. ere
was also no identification on the equipment for
the type of oil or grease that was required. Many
failures occurred that were related to the amount
and quality of grease pumped into the bearings.
To kickstart its journey, the mill worked
with expert consultants to audit its lubrication
program, establish a baseline and develop a
plan to improve the current situation. Resolute's
management bought into the idea and the
cost-benefit analysis.
In 2017, new lubrication equipment was
purchased, and the lube room upgrade began.
e entire shop was painted, including the
floor, walls, doors, fire lines and roof. New
light-emitting diode (LED) lighting was
installed, and electrical plugs were added for
the new equipment. Nine new filter units were
procured, with one for each type of oil in use
at the mill.
A new distribution center allows oil to
be filtered before containers are filled. Four
conveyors have been installed on the floor for
drum storage and to ensure proper first-in/
first-out practices. New cabinets were acquired
During the lube room upgrade, the entire shop was painted, new lighting was
installed, and nine filter units were purchased. Four conveyors have also been
installed for drum storage and to ensure first-in/first-out practices.
AFTER
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with identification of what is inside. All equip-
ment now has an identification tag that shows
the
type of lubricant required.
e mill has also worked with its team of
dedicated professionals to develop their skills
in lubrication and contamination control.
Personnel were trained to use ultrasonic
grease guns for lubricating bearings and on
lubrication best practices. ey now take oil
samples every four months and follow up with
corrective actions autonomously.
All the lubrication and reliability team
members are proud of the changes that have been
made. ey recently had the honor of presenting
their program to visitors from other mills who
came to see what had been accomplished. All
the improvements have helped the mill reach
and surpass the oil cleanliness targets that had
been established. is is significant considering
the mill had been viewed as the worst Resolute
Forest Products mill in 2015 and now is seen
as the best.
